Legalise cannabis, says Liberal Democrat candidate for London mayor

Siobhan Benita says the capital should make the move to tackle youth crime

The Observer (UK)Saturday, September 14, 2019

The legalisation of cannabis should be tested in London to improve public health and stop young people being drawn into crime, a London mayoral candidate has said. Siobhan Benita, the Lib Dem candidate for next year’s election, said the idea of legalising the drug was “no longer controversial” and the serious crime in the capital meant it was the right place for the idea to be trialled. “Illegal drugs activity, especially in the capital, is a big part of pulling young people into serious violence,” she said. “I want to remove power from those gangs. My question would be, why haven’t we done this yet?" She said legalisation, which would free up police time, had been supported by prominent former police officers. (See also: Labour to ‘consider legalising all drugs’ including cocaine and heroin)

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